COLUMBUS – Ohio Democrats are looking to Tuesday’s debate to stir enthusiasm for a presidential primary that so far has been largely drama-free.
Debate-watch parties are planned across the battleground state, including one hosted by Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (D-Columbus) at the Level Dining Lounge, 700 N. High Street.
Get-togethers are planned in the state’s other big cities like Cincinnati, Cleveland, Toledo and Akron, as well as in smaller places like Marietta and Chillicothe.
Such grassroots efforts come as Republicans have enjoyed strong attention in Ohio in the run-up to 2016, thanks in part to the attention that is being paid to outspoken real estate mogul Donald Trump.
Cleveland will be the site of the Republican National Convention and hosted the first GOP debates in August. And Ohio Gov. John Kasich is among the GOP candidates.
Democrats don’t necessarily crave drama Tuesday. They say they’d prefer the debate to highlight key policy differences with Republicans on income inequality, wages and jobs.
The unexpected rise of Bernie Sanders will be on display tonight as he and Hillary Rodham Clinton meet face to face.
Sanders, the independent senator from Vermont, is a self-described Democratic socialist calling for “political revolution.”
Clinton has increasingly moved to the left on domestic policy since announcing her campaign.
Meanwhile, Vice President Joe Biden is still thinking about running.